According to the Mirror, former Arsenal star has slammed the club’s treatment of now outcast superstar Mesut Ozil, whilst speaking to German outlet Bild’s Premier League show.
Podolski, who spent three-and-a-half-years with the Gunners, admitted that he wants to ‘know the background’ of the incidents that have led to Mesut Ozil being cast aside.
The playmaker returned to the team at the start of former teammate Mikel Arteta’s reign, but has found himself out of favour once again.
Ozil has been left out of Arsenal’s Premier League and Europa League squads, with the attacking midfielder not making an appearance since March – in the final game before the lockdown.
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 1")
![[FILES] Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the English League Cup semi-final first leg football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 13, 2022. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/000_9W63G7-897x598-1-120x86.jpg "Pochettino advised me not to go into coaching, says Arteta 3")
Podolski believes that the decision to ‘kick’ Ozil out ‘completely’ is ‘not okay’, suggesting that the club have lacked class with their handling of the situation.
Here’s what Podolski had to say on the matter, quotes obtained via the Mirror:
“I want to know the background, but I generally think with a player who is now in his sixth or seventh year with the club, to kick him completely out of the squad that’s not okay.”
“You don’t do something like that, and I don’t know if something happened in the background or not but even if he’s done something, you don’t do it.”
“I don’t know, of course, if there is something going on in the background or not but even if there is something like that you don’t do it, mainly so you can keep his class on the pitch.”
Ozil hasn’t even made a matchday squad since the end of June, with the ace not even having the chance to feature in the Carabao Cup this season.
The World Cup winner, now 32 years old has seen his career derailed ever since he signed a marquee new contract with the Gunners in January 2018.
Ozil’s looked like a shell of his former self whenever he’s been on the pitch since, with the star now enduring several lengthy spells out of the first-team picture.
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